X-Lapsed, Episode 220 - Wolverine #13 (2021)

X-Lapsed, Episode Two Hundred Twenty

Wolverine (vol.7) #13 (August, 2021) [LGY#355]

"What They Did in the Shadows"

Writer - Benjamin Percy

Pencils - Scot Eaton

Inks - Oren Junior

Colors - Matthew Wilson

Letters - VC's Cory Petit

Design - Tom Muller

Head of X - Hickman

Edits - Amaro, Basso, White, Cebulski

Cover Price: $3.99

On-Sale: June 23, 2021

In what could've (and perhaps should've) been the next issue of X-Force, the Mutant CIA deals with the Telefloridian Menace... while also attempting to reconcile Beast's involvement in making them so!

This leads into your humble host having rather the odd conversation with himself, wherein I do my damnedest to come to the Beast's defense (sorta).  I'd love to hear your thoughts on current-year Hank McCoy - is there ANY saving this character?  Inquiring mind(s) wanna know!

Plus: Great Mailbag, and some super-fun discussion from some new Facebook friends! 

--

X-Lapsed Voicemail: 623-396-5375 (or, 623-396-JERK)

Twitter: @acecomics / Instagram: @90sxmen

weirdcomicshistory@gmail.com

chrisandreggie.podbean.com

chrisisoninfiniteearths.com

xlapsed.chrisisoninfiniteearths.com/

facebook.com/groups/90sxmen

X-Lapsed, Episode 208 - Wolverine #12 (2021)

X-Lapsed, Episode Two Hundred Eight

Wolverine (vol.7) #12 (July, 2021) [LGY#354]

"Penumbra"

Writer - Benjamin Percy

Pencils - Scot Eaton

Inks - J.P. Mayer w/Oren Junior

Colors - Matthew Wilson

Letters - VC's Cory Petit

Design - Tom Muller

Head of X - Hickman

Edits - Amaro, Basso, White, Cebulski

Cover Price: $3.99

On-Sale: May 19, 2021

Wolverine is... still fighting Vampires?  Ya kidding me?  Don't we have a Gala to prepare for or something?

This time out Cranky Chris complains about this story that refuses to end... and wonders how much longer it's going to go.  Oh yeah, we also go to friggin Otherworld for the third time this month, so I'll complain about that too!

At least there's our always X-Cellent Mailbag... and our "This Week in X" segments!

--

X-Lapsed Voicemail: 623-396-5375 (or, 623-396-JERK)

Twitter: @acecomics / Instagram: @90sxmen

weirdcomicshistory@gmail.com

chrisandreggie.podbean.com

chrisisoninfiniteearths.com

xlapsed.chrisisoninfiniteearths.com/

facebook.com/groups/90sxmen

X-Lapsed, Episode 190 - Wolverine #11 (2021)

X-Lapsed, Episode One Hundred Ninety

Wolverine (vol.7) #11 (June, 2021) [LGY#353]

"A Confusion of Monsters"

Writer - Benjamin Percy

Pencils - Scot Eaton

Inks - J.P. Mayer

Colors - Matthew Wilson

Letters - VC's Cory Petit

Design - Tom Muller

Head of X - Hickman

Edits - Amaro, Basso, White, Cebulski

Cover Price: $3.99

On-Sale: April 14, 2021

After many, many months... Wolverine has finally remembered that there's a Vampire Nation in the making -- and so, it's time for him to deal with it.

Also: Omega Red's ego takes a hit when he realizes that the people of Krakoa don't like him all that much.  Go figure!

--

Twitter: @acecomics / Instagram: @90sxmen

weirdcomicshistory@gmail.com

chrisandreggie.podbean.com

chrisisoninfiniteearths.com

xlapsed.chrisisoninfiniteearths.com/

facebook.com/groups/90sxmen

Doom Patrol (vol.2) #70 (1993)

Doom Patrol (vol.2) #70 (September, 1993)
"The Laughing Game"
Writer - Rachel Pollack
Pencils - Scot Eaton
Inks - Tom Sutton
Colors - Tom Ziuko
Letters - John Workman
Assistant Editor - Julie Rottenberg
Editors - Tom Peyer & Lou Stathis
Cover Price: $1.95

Hey gang... we're going, uh, a bit Mature today.  Reader discretion is advised, and all 'at.

--

We open with a young man trying to chat up a classmate in High School.  He's such a nobody that she's barely even paying attention while she turns him down... she tells him he's not "big enough", and while she was referring to his height... he took that to mean he was small in... another area.  This one incident seemed to send him on quite the troubled path... so fearful and ashamed was he of his small... well, ya know... that he wouldn't be able to relate to women, without his package-baggage coming up.  And so, what's a fella to do?  Well if you answered, become a phallic-themed supervillain and attempt to exact revenge... you'd be on the right track!

We shift scenes over to Rainbow Estates, where George and Marion (the Bandage People) are getting ready for a day out shopping.  They invite Cliff and Dorothy to accompany them... however, the former is worried they'll be stared at, and the latter is too busy playing with her super-creepy Charlie McCarthy doll.  That thing is the stuff of nightmares, ain't it?  The doll may or may not allow Dorothy to remember things from her past while she holds it... she offers him over to Cliff for a bit, but he wants no part of it... and I can't blame him!

Next, we head over to a costume shop and meet a woman named Kate Godwin.  She buys a frog-head mask, and it's alluded to that she's been away for a little while... her friend, Jean, thanks her for returning in time for her birthday.

From here, they head to a bar for a demonstration of Kate's powers... because, she has some!  They have the barkeep flip on a tap... and Kate makes the beer coming out of it coagulate.  For her next trick, he dissolves a bottle sitting on a table.

Once the performance has concluded, Jean and Kate find a table.  Kate spills the beans on how she (believes) she got her powers.  Just think, a couple of years earlier they could've just said "Gene Bomb" and been done with it... nowadays, it's a bit more complicated.  Ya see, Kate used to be a lady of the evening... and one night she was approached by a rather peculiar client... Rebis!  She claims that while they... ya know... a "ghost" was discharged from the client's body... and the next morning she woke up next to a Russian stacking doll.

Her powers would emerge some time later, and Kate would try becoming the superhero "Coagula"... hell, she even attempted to join the Justice League!  She says they liked her powers... but just "couldn't handle" her.  It's here that we learn (or, can at least assume) that Kate is a transsexual woman.

From here, we rejoin our phallic-friend Codpiece... he's attempting to rob a bank with his... cod-piece.  Funnily enough, all of the women present are absolutely taken by his... cod-piece!  Gotta figure that that's a dream come true for this fella!  He proceeds to blow his way into the bank regardless.

Inside, we see that his cod-piece is of the Swiss Army variety... he can attach all manner of weaponry to his groinal-area.  He drills his way into the vault and heads on in... just then, the police arrive.  He takes them out with some... I can't think of a punny way to say it, so I'll just say it straight... sonar.  He shoots sonar out of his cod-piece.

He ain't done yet though... from here he fires a bunch of missiles, which blows up the police cruisers.  It's here that we see him in silhouette... which is probably the most risque panel in the book because you wouldn't be able to tell just what that "mass" he's packin' really is.

Nearby, the Bandage People are out having a time.  A snot-nosed kid notices that they're... ya know, covered in bandages... and assumes they'd be invisible underneath.  And so, he does what any jerk-ass kid might do... he tries to unwrap poor Marion.  This doesn't work out all that well for the boy... and he winds up wound up (winds up... wound up) in bandages.  The kid's mother (I assume) wishes she had the ability to do that.  Might wanna call Child Protective Services, you guys.

George and Marion continue on their merry way, until coming across a crying woman named Alice.  She rushes up to them and applauds their bravery for being in public while looking like mummies (fashionable mummies, but mummies nonetheless).

Just then... there's an explosion!  The Bandage folks take Alice to safety before deciding to get involved... after all, they are "super-thingies" now.  The threat is, of course, Codpiece... who's Swiss Army Crotch is currently punching a cop in the face with a boxing glove.  Ollie Queen wants his royalty check... you can, uh, keep the glove though.

The Bandage folks get into position and bombard the baddie with bandages.  Codpiece panics and proceeds to unload a salvo of... man, why can't I come up with any puns this morning... a salvo of... missiles, I guess.  The explosions catch the attention of our new friend, Kate.

By this point, Codpiece has a giant pair of scissors sticking out of his crotch (either that, or he's just glad to see us)... and is hacking away at the bandages.  Marion decides it's time to unleash "the spooks"... these are humanoid insects that apparently live inside her purse.  They aren't super-effective.

Just then, a frog-masked woman appears on the horizon.  Codpiece isn't impressed.  Then, Coagula uses her powers to first... coagulate the cod-piece... then, dissolve it.  That sounds like the start of a pretty bad day for our baddie.

With Codpiece in custody, George and Marion decide to extend an invitation to Kate to join the Doom Patrol.  She ain't sure what the Doom Patrol's all about, but decides to go along anyway.

We wrap up back at Rainbow Estates, where Cliff's curiosity has finally gotten the better of him... and he picks up the janked-out Charlie McCarthy doll.  It speaks to him... and sends him back to his childhood, where he is being bullied by a pair of goofs.  He is then approached by a rather debonair Fox, who offers him great powers.  Ruh-roh.

--

Heckuva fun issue!

It's going to perhaps sound weird... but, ya know that intangible element in comics we sometimes discuss... the "heart" of a comic story?  This issue, despite being about a fella with a phallic arsenal, actually has heart... at least, to me.  There's this weird "goodness" to this story... an altruism.  Now, I'm not talking about our man Codpiece of course, but the rest of our cast... they just feel like good people here.

Now, where to start?  I guess we can get my thoughts on Coagula out of the way.  Now, her being a transsexual woman is a sensitive subject, and honestly one that I'm probably not qualified to opine on.  All I will say is I'm happy she's here, and I really appreciate her depiction as just a person trying to live their best life.  She's not shown as a novelty or an outlier (no more than the rest of the Doomies, anyway)... she's just a woman who wants to do good.  Back in ye old 1993, this was a pretty brave move.  Hell, today it's still a risky gambit!  I'm honestly surprised we haven't had Kate reappear in more recent years!

Speaking of characters I'm surprised we haven't seen again... Codpiece!  This dude is just "funny, ha-ha" enough to pop-up again (now the puns happen!).  I appreciate his origin stemming from a misunderstanding.  I think a lot of people speak without thinking... and don't really pay much mind to how their words affect those around them.  In simply dismissing the teen-age Codpiece (we never learn his real name) as being too small (meaning short), she unwittingly planted the seeds for a villainous career (which wound up being just as short as he was!).

When some people are told their "too small", they go the Charles Atlas route... others, as we see here... become phallus-focused and attempt to exact revenge on a world that looks down on him!  I'm assuming there is something symbolic in his... coagulatory castration of sorts... but, I'll just leave that in the ether.

The Bandage People, George and Marion, are a hoot.  They don't seem to realize (or care) that they look the way they do.  Cliff is depicted here as rather self-conscious over his appearance... which, the B.P.'s can't really wrap their head around (wrap... head... ay yai yai).  Later, that woman Alice calls them brave for being out in public... and they really don't get that either.  These are fun characters... and they've got that intangible "heart" to 'em.

The one thing I didn't much like... was the Charlie McCarthy doll... and that's the whole point, I reckon.  I'm not supposed to like that cursed thing!  It's supposed to make my skin crawl (and it kinda does!).  There's such a disquieting on the page when the puppet's there... and the fact that only Cliff seems to be skeeved out by it makes it all the more anxiety-inducing.  I hate looking at the puppet... but, I'm glad he's here to creep me out.

Overall... this issue probably won't be for everybody.  I enjoyed it a great deal... but I'd understand if people did not.  It's a bit crass, to be sure, but if you're open-minded and comfortable with seeing a villain lead with his crotch, I have a sneaking suspicion that you'll dig this as well.  This issue is available digitally.

--

Interesting Ads:

1041

Teen Titans Giant #1 (2018)

Teen Titans Giant #1 (2018)
"Enter... the Disruptor!"
"Teen Titans"
"When I Grow Up..., Part One"
"fun and games"
Writers - Dan Jurgens, Geoff Johns, Peter J. Tomasi, Justin Jordan & Dan Didio
Pencils - Scot Eaton, Mike McKone, Jorge Jimenez & Kenneth Rocafort
Inks - Wayne Faucher, Marlo Alquiza
Colors - Jim Charalampidis, Jeromy Cox, Alejandro Sanchez & Daniel Brown
Letters - Tom Napolitano, Comicraft, Rob Leigh & Carlos Mangual
Associate Edits - Tom Palmer, Jr., Paul Kaminski & Jessica Chen
Edits - Brittany Holzherr, Eddie Berganza & Katie Kubert
Group Editor - Jamie S. Rich
Cover Price: $4.99

"This isn't supposed to be for me"

That's what I kept saying... even up to the moment I plunked the fiver onto the counter.  These DC Giants aren't supposed to be for us "seasoned" readers... they're for the casuals, or in John Byrne parlance, "civilians".  People who don't normally purchase comics... and most certainly never darken the doorway of a comic book shop (unless they've got that super-special-ultra-rare Funko Pop... that they won't buy because the LCS marked it at $50+.)

I even rolled my eyes when I saw folks on Twitter proudly showing off their photos of their "Walmart finds".  Kept saying to myself... "those aren't for us!"...

Then...

Then... I learned that these Giants have exclusive content!  These aren't just reprints!  This was probably obvious to many of us... I keep off the "comics news" websites, so I guess I didn't get the "whole story".  I hemmed and hawed about picking up the Teen Titans Giant... being a completionist from way back, it just didn't feel right not to.  I mean, I stuck it out through a lot of Titans books... it'd be hypocritical to leave this on the shelf.

Oh, the things we tell ourselves...

What follows is a look at the entire package... reprints and all.  We've already discussed the reheated material here at the blog... but, if you're a Chrispletionist... you're definitely gonna wanna read it again (hey, it worked for DC!).  If you're a "civilian"... well, these are all new to you anyway!

We'll wrap up with a discussion about the new story... and some of my hot-takes about this DC Giant initiative.

--

We open with Beast Boy bouncing into Titans Tower, pizzas in hand.  What he finds there... is, nobody!  Well, he doesn't have to wait long before Raven pops in to let him know where the rest of the team went.  Ya see, they're down at S.T.A.R. Labs fighting some geek calling himself "Disruptor".  We briefly met this dude back when we discussed Titans Secret Files & Origins #1.  He was actually (retroactively), in part, responsible for the dissolution of the New Titans (that is, of course, the long storied Wolfman run).

The Disruptor is here to swipe something from the Lab... and is doing a pretty good job "disrupting" everyone around him.  He's able to mess with people's eyes... and even shuts down Starfire's starbolts.  Dude's got his stuff together.

He makes his way inside S.T.A.R. Labs, and finds himself faced with Beast Boy in the form of a gorilla.  He "disrupts" Gar's power, and kayos him.

The Disruptor then stands before the Director of S.T.A.R. Labs... who suggests that he's here for "the Amplifier".  Turns out, that's exactly what he's here for.  Raven makes one last attempt at stopping the baddie... and very nearly does.  He boots her at the last moment and continues on his merry way.

Robin shows up and delivers a kick.  Disruptor ain't interested in going toe-to-toe with the Boy Wonder... so he instead "disrupts" that S.T.A.R. Director into jumping out the nearest open window.  Robin breaks away from the conflict to stop the assisted suicide attempt, leaving the Disruptor free to nab the Amplifier.

Well, he would be if not for Gar Logan taking the form of a tiny insect and mucking about in the baddie's inner ear.  The Disruptor figures he's screwed... so he, get this, hurls the Amplifier out the window... right into Starfire's waiting arms.  This creates enough of a distraction for the Disruptor to get away... so, I guess dude's a bit smarter than he looks.

Back at Titans Tower, the team returns to find Beast Boy has... gasp... eaten all of the pizza.  An angered Starfire throws the Amplifier at him... yeah, that top-secret super-powerful tech... she just throws it at Gar for eating the last slice.

The Amplifier bounces on the floor, and opens... revealing it to be empty!  Looks like the Disruptor is actually a lot smarter than he looks.

We wrap up with the Disruptor delivering the contents of the Amplifier case to... H.I.V.E.!  The big bad of the hive unhoods, revealing himself to be... the Director of S.T.A.R. Labs!

Onto the first of our reprints, and second story overall (originally covered here November 7, 2017):




We open in Smallville, with Ma and Pa Kent... well, Auntie and Uncle Kent at this juncture... driving their "nephew" Conner to Smallville High School.  Superman has set up a civilian identity for the lad so he could have something resembling a "normal" childhood.  He arrives at school... scans the hallways, and decides "nahhhh".

He thinks listening to chats about cow-tipping are pretty lame... so he instead heads out and makes some Superboy-inspired crop circles.  Seems just as lame, if you ask me.  Anyhoo, as he plays hillbilly hooky, Superman flies up to check on/lecture him.  During the discussion, the subject of the Teen Titans comes up.  Kon ain't feeling it, but Superman urges him to at least consider it... and go back to class.

We shift scenes (we're going to be doing that a lot) to Gotham City, where Robin is fighting Tweedle-Dee and Tweedle-Dum... while Batman chats him up about joining this new team of Teen Titans.  Tim's a bit iffy...

Next stop, Keystone City where Jay Garrick and Wally West talk about what to do about their impulsive young speedster.  Jay suggests the Titans invite, but Wally ain't all that keen... after all, he was a founding member of the team, for all that matters.  It seems like Wally wants to keep Impulse out of the Titans, like that can only be part of his history... guess he never read the late-Marv Wolfman run, because... Impulse was already a Titan!

Turns out the Bart overhears the conversation, and decides to pop his head in.  It's here that we learn that young Master Allen has something of a photographic memory... he's able to retain everything he reads (at super-speed, even!).  Not even Wally can say that!  This concept will be very important a couple of issues later.

Let's head over to Gateway City, where Cassie Sandsmark (and her mother) is being reamed out by her Principal.  Ol' lady Griffith doesn't like her Pagan-ish practices... nor her claims of being granted superpowers by Athena Zeus.  Cassie flips out, and smashes a desk... which probably doesn't help her case.

She rushes to the bathroom, where a couple of mean girls call her a Pagan.  As Cassie stares into the mirror... an odd, helmeted face stares back... that'll come back around later.

Anyhoo, moments later she is joined by Starfire... who is there to issue an invite, and talk a little bit about Wonder Girls past and present.  Cassie almost immediately agrees to join up, and before we know it the pair are flying over San Francisco in a bee-yootiful double-page spread.

The pair arrive at the new Titans Tower... and Cassie is almost immediately approached by our old friend Gar Logan... and boy is he a pervert. Still, somehow far less creepy than the Millennial-skeevo he is in post-Rebirth Teen Titans.

We learn that Titans Tower was built by Cyborg with funding from the city of San Francisco... in exchange for "favors" to be named later.  It's been awhile since I've read these early issues, so I couldn't say if/how that rolls out.

While Cassie admires the architecture, a few old friends arrive.  Former Young Justice founders, Superboy, Impulse, and Robin head in... and it's a bit of an icy reunion.  In the months since Donna Troy's death in Titans/Young Justice: Graduation Day, it would appear that the YJer's relationship has been strained.

Over the P.A. system, Cyborg welcomes the newcomers... and suggests they get a good night sleep, as they have an early-morning orientation.  That night, neither Robin nor Superboy can get any sleep... and have an uncomfortable/almost contentious late-night chat.

Neither knows why they're there.  Kon suggests it might just be because they miss their friends... which Robin doesn't disagree with.  Suddenly, Robin gets an email... from Snapdragon.  I don't remember who or what "Snapdragon" is... but the email includes Kon's Cadmus Labs file...

... which reveals the name of the human donor of half of Superboy's DNA makeup.  Uh-oh...


Onto our third story (originally covered here March 19, 2017):

We open with a strange prologue involving a family on a film set.  After some chatter, one of the children forcefully calls for a group hug.  Kind of reminds me of that episode of theTwilight Zone where Billy Mumy sent his poor terrified family members to the cornfield... though, I'll concede I might be reaching here.  We immediately shift to the present where Superboy and Robin... or is that Robin and Superboy, are dashing through a jungle infested with robot simulacrums in their likeness.

Two days earlier, we join Jon Kent as he hops on the school bus for his morning ride in.  He notices that his normal bus driver is out today.  During the ride, Jon witnesses a bit of bullying and when he attempts to quell the event, he receives a face-full of spitwads for his troubles.

Upon arrival to the school, the kids decide to take advantage of the snow-covered ground and settle their differences with a snowball fight.  One of Jon's friends gets whacked in the side of his head with a whopper... it seems the other team is packin' their balls with rocks!

Jon considers using his heat-vision to even the odds, however, before he can... a giant snowball falls from above and clobbers the competition.  Jon looks up to see the substitute school bus driver was the culprit of the packed-flurry.  Of course it wasn't really some mild-mannered older fella... it's actually revealed to be Damian Wayne in disguise!

After a bit of witty chatter, we shift scenes to later that evening at the Batcave.  Damian is preparing to head out for the evening with his father... but it's not to be.  Papa Batman calls him on blowing off his studies... and until that's settled, he's staying home.

Next stop the Kent... White... Smith... farm, where the Super-family is playing cards and chatting about their day.  Lois and Clark express pride in their boy for not letting loose with his powers during the snowball fight.  After Lois wins yet another hand, Clark gets called off on some Justice League business.

Jon is sent to bed for the night, however, just as soon as he puts his head down he is interrupted by... Damian!  After some good-natured boyish ribbing, Robin tells Superboy about some hacking occurring at Lexcorp that he'd like for the two of them to look into.

And so, they head out.  It looks like these two might just be in over their heads...

Our fourth and final story... originally covered here April 8, 2018:

We open on a girl named "Ernie" going through her normal morning "getting ready" routine... our titular hero lurks behind her... and gets one heckuva smack.  Our young hero unmasks and proceeds to apologize for "rifting in" on her.  Turns out, this Ernestine is our new pal Derek's good pal, confidant, and costume designer.  They chat a bit... she tries socking him to see how strong he is... then he "rifts out" before Ernie's twin sister Emeline can barge into the bedroom.

We shift scenes over to Derek's house where his folks are watching the news on what went down in Gotham City during the... Dark Knights: Metal event.  We get the distinct impression that Derek was in Gotham when all that stuff happened... and that it affected him in strange ways.  Derek's mom calls up to the lad, and plays that "I'm leaving without you" hokey-pokey that I'd assume many parents have with their teen-age children when they're dragging their feet.

She drops him off at school... and as he walks through the halls, there's this murmuring about him being a "mama's boy".  He mulls it over, but ultimately doesn't appear to be all that affected by it.  He lets his mind wander during Physics class... back to that fateful day in Gotham City.

A mountain erupts from the ground... causing the Earth to split.  Derek just happened to be standing in the exact wrong place at the exact wrong time, and wound up falling through it!

In the present, class lets out.  Everybody appears to be rather dismissive of our Derek... even his teacher who proclaims him to be "someone else's problem" once the bell rings.  Wow... what an a-hole.  Derek heads out... shares a few text with (I'm assuming) Ernie, before rifting to a rooftop to change into his costume.

Now... I know what you're thinking, this is where he goes off and unsuccessfully tries to "fight crime"... this is going to be his "trial by fire"... a true "hero defining moment"... right?  Well, no... this is where he pulls out his smartphone and starts a livestream to show off his powers.  Jeez.  Sometimes I really hate "current year".

Well... this goes kinda sideways for, uh... Sideways.  Seems he needs his full-focus on his powers in order to make'em work right.  Paying more attention to his phone, and doubtless billions of viewers, causes him to "rift" right into the a distant lake.  Whoops.  Upon arrival whereverthehell he is, he hears a booming voice commanding him to "Stop"... and so, he "rifts away" again.

... Only no matter where he goes, he is unable to escape the booming voice.

And we wrap up with Sideways finally running smack dab into its source... some yellow fellow that the DC Wikia calls "Tempus Fuginaut".

--

For long-form discussion pieces on the reprints... I might as well just sendja over to the original posts.  Just click'em the cover, and you will be delivered!

What we've got here... really, it's a heckuva package for $5.

What follows his my "hot-take"... you can take it or leave it, I'm just an idiot online and I'm not portraying myself as anything but.

When these books first hit Walmart shelves, and comics twitter kinda went nuts trying to scoop'em all up... either to flip 'em or... okay, probably to flip 'em... I shook my head.  I'm not into the idea of taking advantage of folks who might want these... but whose local Walmart stores aren't carrying them... or, whose local Walmart stores are carrying them, but the entire stock gets sniped by a "flipper".  I think that's a grimy move... and find it a pretty lousy and shameful thing to do to your fellow fan (or, more importantly... a potentially curious "civilian").

That didn't stop me from seeing folks proudly post pictures of piles of the things online.  And I tell ya what, that sucks.

But... was it unexpected?  DC Comics of late has been pretty vocal on the concept of "flooding" the market.  Not too long ago, Dan Didio mentioned something about being cautious of "market glut"... all the while announcing new pop-up vanity imprints by the week.  I saw these DC Giants as another "glut" moment.

While initially, I was able to kinda just put them aside... and realize that, as I said above, "weren't for me".  Then... I learn that these come with exclusive content... which a completionist or long-seasoned fan... well, we're gonna want it.  So, is this a case of DC eating it's cake and having it too?

Are they sincere in launching this initiative with an eye toward luring the "comics curious"?  Or, is this just another way to fleece a few extra bucks out of the existing marketplace?  I'm sure they'd love to find a new generation to keep the industry afloat for years to come... but, is this the best way to do it?

Let's look at this book at its price point.  $4.99.  For readers like us... man, that's nothin'.  We're used to paying around the same amount for books about a fifth of this size.  For us, this is a killer deal.  To the uninitiated, however... five bucks is a lot of dough to drop on a comic book.  Hell, three or four bucks is likely "too much".

I suppose what it comes down to for me, personally... is the hypocrisy of the endeavor.  These are marketed for the "new" reader... and yet, they include exclusive content to lure in the existing ones as well.  If comics twitter is anything to go by, they're being released in a slipshod manner... which is inflating their perceived value on the secondary market... and creating a strange "demand" for frantic folks who can't track 'em down.

I'm not expecting transparency from DC Comics... but, and this is just my hot-take, I don't think these are meant for "newbies".  I think DC knew what they were doing in plopping 12 pages of "exclusive content" by top-tier creators into these DC Giants.  These are for the existing fan base.  I'd love to hear that some "civilians" did give these a shot... and then did head to the comic shop...

Then again... they'd likely be completely confused as to why they've gotta head to the back-issue bin to continue many of the stories included here... and never, ever go back.

My beef with the hypocrisy often puts me at odds with our corporate overlords... unfortunately for me, though... I'm also an addict.  An addict whose invested countless hours and dollar into their product... and one who likely isn't going away anytime soon.  Annnnnnd, that's how they win.

Again, the above is juuuuuust my hot-take.  Nothing to take to seriously... 

One more thing... I found the included back-ups a bit random.  Though in fairness, I was looking at what reprints come with the other DC Giants, and they're even more baffling.  At least these all include young heroes.  It's not like shoe-horning Green Lantern into the Superman Giant.

Onto the "exclusive" story!

Who are these Teen Titans?  Or, rather... when?  We've got Tim Drake Robin (who, never existed post-Flashpoint... remember, he was Red Robin from the get-go).  A pre-Flashpoint looking Beast Boy... a New-52! era Starfire... and a post-Rebirth Raven.  Is this in continuity?  Am I an idiot for even asking?

I suppose the easy answer is... this is a take on the Teen Titans cartoon (minus Cyborg, for obvious reasons... he'll likely loom large in the Justice League of America Giant).  I suppose I can't fault 'em for going with the familiar... but, I'm still gonna struggle to "place" it.

The art (and coloring) here was pretty fantastic.  I worried that this would feel like an afterthought... and, maybe if we just go by the story, that can be argued... but, the art... man, these are some pretty pages!

The story... I dunno... it's not bad.  It's actually pretty good.  It just feels like the sort of thing you'd send in three Charleston Chew wrappers to get, ya know?  Real "boilerplate" stuff... but a neat enough introduction to the team.  This "exclusive story" which was almost certainly the biggest "draw" for the completionist... was probably the best suited for a new reader.

Overall... I mean, this is over $10 worth of comics for $4.99.  You're gonna know if it's worth it to ya.  If you're buying this just for the exclusive story... I dunno... is 12 pages worth $5 to ya?  Will these ever make it to the cheap-o bins (or any bins, for that matter)?  I'd say it's far more likely that they wind up in Walmart's baler... so, if you want'em... you might have to bite the bullet.

--

Interesting Ads:

943